docs(init): validate specification — v1.25 kyverno-json unified policy engine

Establishes the v1.25 milestone: kyverno-json becomes Nova's primary
compliance/policy tool, implemented behind a swappable PolicyEngine
adapter (so OPA can replace it one day). Unified-orchestrator model —
checkov/wiz remain as raw-finding adapters feeding into kyverno-json
meta-policies. Policies cover all 4 Nova artifacts: contract JSON,
resolved Stack IR, terraform plan JSON, and the merged PCR list itself.
Quality improvement from IDEATE: capability regression checks become
declarative kyverno-json policies. New policy-engineer persona.

19 requirements (REQ-291..309), 6 phases (P0 + P1..P4 + P5 final).
Tags on v1.24.x line: v1.24.0 (P0) → v1.24.5 (P5 = milestone release).

---ci---
project: acdl
phase: 0
milestone: v1.25
status: specify
---/ci---

.ciagent/CHECKPOINT.json

@@ -1,32 +1,13 @@
 {
-  "phase": 4,
-  "stage": "complete",
-  "milestone": "v1.24",
-  "phase_role": "final",
+  "phase": 0,
+  "stage": "specify",
+  "milestone": "v1.25",
+  "phase_role": "pre_execution",
   "attempts": 0,
-  "updated_at": "2026-08-12T02:50:00Z",
+  "updated_at": "2026-08-12T16:20:00Z",
   "project": "acdl",
-  "milestone_complete": true,
-  "tag": "v1.23.4",
-  "tag_line": "v1.23.x",
-  "requirements": ["REQ-276","REQ-277","REQ-278","REQ-279","REQ-280","REQ-281","REQ-282","REQ-283","REQ-284","REQ-285","REQ-286","REQ-287","REQ-288","REQ-289","REQ-290"],
-  "release": {
-    "forge": "gitea",
-    "releases_created": true,
-    "release_ids": {
-      "v1.23.0": 635,
-      "v1.23.1": 636,
-      "v1.23.2": 637,
-      "v1.23.3": 638,
-      "v1.23.4": 639
-    },
-    "milestone_release_id": 639,
-    "milestone_release_tag": "v1.23.4"
-  },
-  "tests": {
-    "total": 287,
-    "passed": 287,
-    "failed": 0
-  },
-  "notes": "v1.24 milestone complete. Tag v1.23.4 (milestone release, id 639). 15 requirements complete (REQ-276..290). 4 phases. 287 tests pass. Consumer guide accuracy fixes + env-transition detect-and-destroy (no orphan path). Next milestone starts fresh."
+  "milestone_complete": false,
+  "tag_line": "v1.24.x",
+  "next_tag": "v1.24.0",
+  "notes": "v1.25 milestone started — kyverno-json Unified Policy Engine. 19 requirements (REQ-291..309), 6 phases. Tags on v1.24.x line. Branch gate passed: HEAD on phase/00-specify-clarify-research-plan-grill."
 }

.ciagent/PROJECT.md

@@ -1577,3 +1577,124 @@ New requirements REQ-263..REQ-275 — see `REQUIREMENTS.md` §v1.23.
 Summary: consolidation (REQ-263,264), style restoration (REQ-265,266,267),
 image inlining (REQ-268), python-pptx generator (REQ-269,270), word-count
 trim + loaded-scope-term removal (REQ-271,272), CI/tests/README (REQ-273,274,275).
+
+## v1.25 — kyverno-json Unified Policy Engine
+
+> **Active milestone.** Feature milestone (the primary compliance/policy
+> tool becomes kyverno-json, implemented behind a swappable adapter).
+> Branch: `milestone/v1.25-kyverno-json`. Tags run on the **v1.24.x**
+> patch line: `v1.24.0` (P0) → `v1.24.1..v1.24.4` (P1–P4) → `v1.24.5`
+> (P5 final = milestone release).
+
+[Nova](https://github.com/kyverno/kyverno-json) `kyverno-json` is a
+runtime from the Kyverno ecosystem that applies Kyverno policies to
+**any JSON or YAML payload** — not just Kubernetes manifests. This
+milestone makes kyverno-json the **primary tool of choice for
+compliance / policy checks** in Nova, implemented as an **adapter**
+(the `PolicyEngine` protocol) so the platform may one day replace it
+with something else (e.g. OPA) without touching the confidence signal
+or the pipeline.
+
+### Why
+
+Nova's policy posture today is split across three engines with three
+different rule languages and three adapter shapes:
+
+- **Checkov** (`adapters/terraform/policy/checkov_adapter.py`) — the
+  runtime scanner over `terraform_plan` JSON; carries the
+  `NOVA_TAG_NAMING` custom rule. Imperative YAML+Python rules.
+- **Wiz** (`adapters/wiz/wiz_adapter.py`) — security findings from the
+  Wiz API; inactive unless credentials are present.
+- **Kyverno (K8s)** (`adapters/kyverno/kyverno_adapter.py`) — translates
+  Kyverno `PolicyReport` results; **inactive for Terraform-only stacks**
+  (the platform emits Terraform, not K8s manifests — D-053).
+
+All three emit the same `schemas/policy_check_result.schema.json` shape
+that `core/confidence_signal.py` consumes engine-agnostically. The
+*contract* is already right; the *orchestration* is fragmented. There is
+no single place where "what Nova considers compliant" is declared —
+tagging lives in a Checkov custom rule, public-ingress in Checkov's
+`RULE_MAP`, env-transition destroy in `core/env_transition.py`
+(imperative Python), and capability regression in
+`core/regression_verify.py` (imperative Python). Each is a different
+language, each drifts independently, and the K8s Kyverno adapter can't
+help because it only speaks to K8s manifests.
+
+`kyverno-json` fixes this: one declarative policy language (Kyverno
+policies with JMESPath assertions) that applies to **any** Nova
+artifact — the consumer contract, the resolved Stack IR, the
+Terraform plan JSON, and even the PolicyCheckResult list itself
+(meta-validation). It becomes the **unified orchestrator** of compliance
+checks, while Checkov and Wiz remain as raw-finding adapters that feed
+*into* kyverno-json meta-policies (so Nova-specific posture rules sit
+on top of, not beside, the scanner findings).
+
+### What the milestone delivers
+
+- **Swappable `PolicyEngine` protocol** (`core/policy_engine.py`) — a
+  Python Protocol + registry selected from `config.json` (`policy.engine`,
+  default `"kyverno-json"`). `KyvernoJsonEngine` implements it (shells
+  to the `kyverno-json` CLI); a future `OpaEngine` implements the same
+  protocol. The confidence signal and pipeline never import the engine
+  directly — they go through the registry.
+- **`KyvernoJsonEngine` adapter** (`adapters/kyverno-json/`) —
+  `evaluate(payload, policies) -> list[PolicyCheckResult]` translates
+  kyverno-json native output to the existing PCR schema. Mirrors the
+  Checkov/Wiz adapter pattern. `is_configured()` guard skips gracefully
+  when the `kyverno-json` binary is absent (same pattern as the Wiz
+  adapter — emits `SKIPPED`, never breaks the pipeline).
+- **Policies over all four Nova artifacts** under
+  `adapters/kyverno-json/policies/`:
+  - `contract/` — consumer contract JSON (shape + env-promotion rules).
+  - `stack-ir/` — resolved Target Stack IR (tagging standard,
+    public-ingress, encryption-by-default — ports of the v1.0/v1.8
+    imperative rules into declarative policies).
+  - `plan-json/` — `terraform show -json` output (plaintext secrets,
+    IAM wildcards, KMS references — ports of Checkov's `RULE_MAP`).
+  - `meta/` — policies over the merged PolicyCheckResult list itself
+    (e.g. `block-on-any-critical` — the single declarative source of
+    truth for "critical = block", with the existing
+    `confidence_signal.py` hard-override kept as defense-in-depth).
+- **`run_platform.sh` Step 5 wiring** — Checkov/Wiz still run and emit
+  raw PCRs; `KyvernoJsonEngine.evaluate()` runs plan-JSON policies in
+  parallel; both PCR lists merge into the confidence signal's `policy`
+  input. No change to `core/confidence_signal.py` (it already consumes
+  `list[PolicyCheckResult]` engine-agnostically).
+- **Regression-gate-as-policy** (P4 — quality improvement from the
+  IDEATE pass): the capability checks in
+  `core/regression_verify.py` (CAP-013, CAP-023, CAP-024) become
+  declarative kyverno-json policies over the capability-inventory JSON
+  frontmatter. Capability regression becomes an audit artifact, not
+  imperative Python.
+- **`policy-engineer` persona** (custom, added in RESEARCH) — owns the
+  policy territory; declarative-policies constraint; kyverno-json +
+  JMESPath frameworks.
+
+**Phase count:** 6 (P0 pre-execution + 4 execution + 1 final).
+
+**Hard constraints:**
+- DO NOT change `schemas/policy_check_result.schema.json` shape in a way
+  that breaks existing adapters — the contract is the moat. The
+  `engine` enum already includes `"kyverno"` and `"opa"`; v1.25 records
+  carry `engine: "kyverno"` (no new enum value — decision in CLARIFY).
+- DO NOT remove Checkov or Wiz adapters — they remain as raw-finding
+  sources feeding into kyverno-json meta-policies.
+- DO NOT remove the `confidence_signal.py` `PENALTY["critical"]: None`
+  hard-override — it stays as defense-in-depth behind the declarative
+  `block-on-any-critical` meta-policy (decision in CLARIFY).
+- DO NOT change `core/confidence_signal.py`'s input contract — it
+  already consumes `list[PolicyCheckResult]`; v1.25 only changes *who
+  produces* that list, not *what* the list is.
+- The platform must function with `kyverno-json` absent — `is_configured()`
+  returns false → `SKIPPED` records → confidence signal proceeds (no
+  hard dependency that breaks the "platform functions without AI /
+  deterministic scripts" tenet — kyverno-json is deterministic, not AI).
+
+### Requirements
+
+New requirements REQ-291..REQ-309 — see `REQUIREMENTS.md` §v1.25.
+Summary: engine protocol + registry (REQ-291,292), kyverno-json engine
+impl (REQ-293,294), contract policies (REQ-295,296), stack-IR policies
+(REQ-297,298,299), plan-JSON policies + pipeline wiring (REQ-300,301,302),
+meta-policies (REQ-303), regression-gate policies (REQ-304,305), docs +
+adapter README (REQ-306,307), tests (REQ-308,309).

.ciagent/REQUIREMENTS.md

@@ -2196,3 +2196,295 @@ assert 20 main + 1 appendix.
 | REQ-288 | P3 | complete |
 | REQ-289 | P3 | complete |
 | REQ-290 | P1 | complete |
+
+## v1.25 — kyverno-json Unified Policy Engine
+
+> **Feature milestone.** `kyverno-json` becomes the primary compliance /
+> policy tool, implemented behind a swappable `PolicyEngine` adapter so
+> OPA (or any other engine) can replace it one day. Tags run on the
+> **v1.24.x** line (milestone v1.25 → tags v1.24.0..v1.24.N). Final patch
+> = milestone release.
+>
+> One problem, one architectural correction:
+> 1. **Fragmented policy posture.** Nova's compliance rules are split
+>    across Checkov (imperative YAML + a Python custom rule for tagging),
+>    Wiz (API findings), the K8s-only Kyverno adapter (inactive for
+>    Terraform stacks — D-053), and imperative Python in
+>    `core/env_transition.py` + `core/regression_verify.py`. There is no
+>    single declarative place where "what Nova considers compliant" lives.
+>    The K8s Kyverno adapter can't help because it only speaks to K8s
+>    manifests, and the platform emits Terraform.
+>
+> The correction: `kyverno-json` (a Kyverno-ecosystem runtime that applies
+> Kyverno policies to **any** JSON/YAML payload) becomes the **unified
+> orchestrator** of compliance checks. Checkov and Wiz remain as
+> raw-finding adapters feeding *into* kyverno-json meta-policies. The
+> engine is behind a `PolicyEngine` protocol so it is replaceable. The
+> confidence signal is untouched — it already consumes
+> `list[PolicyCheckResult]` engine-agnostically.
+
+### Decisions (locked in CLARIFY, full autonomy)
+
+- **D-115 (C-1):** `kyverno-json` is a runtime dependency installed via
+  `go install github.com/kyverno/kyverno-json/cmd/kj@latest` (pinned in a
+  `scripts/install-kyverno-json.sh` helper; the CI image installs it).
+  Not a Python package — kyverno-json is a Go binary. The
+  `KyvernoJsonEngine.is_configured()` checks `which kj` and skips
+  gracefully when absent (emits `SKIPPED` PCR, mirroring the Wiz adapter).
+- **D-116 (C-2):** kyverno-json PCR records carry `engine: "kyverno"`
+  (no new enum value). The existing `engine` enum in
+  `schemas/policy_check_result.schema.json` already includes `"kyverno"`;
+  adding `"kyverno-json"` would force a schema change + checkov_adapter
+  test regression for no semantic gain. The `ruleId` prefix `KJ_`
+  distinguishes kyverno-json rules from the K8s Kyverno adapter's
+  `KYVERNO_` prefix where they overlap.
+- **D-117 (C-3):** Checkov and Wiz adapters keep their current
+  `adapt() -> list[PolicyCheckResult]` signatures. They emit PCRs as
+  today. The meta-policies in `adapters/kyverno-json/policies/meta/`
+  consume the **merged** PCR list (checkov + wiz + kyverno-json) as their
+  input payload, applying Nova-specific posture rules on top. No adapter
+  signature changes.
+- **D-118 (C-4):** `NOVA_TAG_NAMING` (the Checkov custom rule in
+  `adapters/terraform/policy/custom_rules/nova_tagging.py`) is **kept**.
+  A kyverno-json mirror policy `require-tagging-standard.json` is added
+  in `adapters/kyverno-json/policies/stack-ir/`. The P3 meta-policy
+  `tagging-rules-agree.json` asserts the two engines agree on every
+  resource; divergence emits an `error` PCR (defense-in-depth against
+  rule drift). The Checkov rule stays the source of truth for
+  Terraform-static scanning; the kyverno-json policy covers Stack IR.
+
+### Category: Policy Engine Core (feat)
+- **REQ-291:** `core/policy_engine.py` defines a `PolicyEngine` Python
+  `Protocol` (PEP 544) with three members: `name -> str`,
+  `is_configured() -> bool`, and
+  `evaluate(payload: dict | str, policy_dir: Path, contract_id: str) ->
+  list[dict]` (where each dict conforms to
+  `schemas/policy_check_result.schema.json`). A `PolicyEngineRegistry`
+  singleton selects the active engine from `config.json`'s new
+  `policy.engine` key (default `"kyverno-json"`); raises
+  `KeyError` on an unknown engine name. The registry exposes
+  `get_engine()` and `register(name, factory)`. Pure stdlib, no engine
+  imports at the protocol layer.
+- **REQ-292:** `.ciagent/config.json` gains a new top-level `policy`
+  object: `{"engine": "kyverno-json", "policy_root":
+  "adapters/kyverno-json/policies"}`. The registry reads `policy.engine`
+  to select the active engine and `policy.policy_root` as the default
+  policy directory. Backward-compatible: if the `policy` key is absent,
+  the registry returns a `NullEngine` that emits only `SKIPPED` records
+  (so existing tests that don't set the key still pass).
+
+### Category: kyverno-json Engine Adapter (feat)
+- **REQ-293:** `adapters/kyverno-json/kyverno_json_engine.py` implements
+  `KyvernoJsonEngine` satisfying the `PolicyEngine` protocol.
+  `is_configured()` returns `True` when `which kj` succeeds. `evaluate()`
+  writes the payload to a temp JSON file, invokes
+  `kj scan --policy <policy_dir> --payload <payload.json> -o json`,
+  parses the native result list, and translates each entry to a PCR dict
+  (`engine: "kyverno"`, `ruleId` prefixed `KJ_<policy_name>`, severity
+  mapped, `result` mapped pass/fail/skip → pass/fail/skipped). When
+  `is_configured()` is false, `evaluate()` returns a single `SKIPPED`
+  PCR with `ruleId: "KJ_ENGINE_NOT_CONFIGURED"` (mirrors the Wiz
+  adapter's `is_configured()` guard). Native output parsing is
+  defensive: any kyverno-json output that doesn't match the expected
+  shape produces an `error` PCR, never an exception.
+- **REQ-294:** `adapters/kyverno-json/__init__.py` exports
+  `KyvernoJsonEngine`. `adapters/kyverno-json/policies/_smoke.json`
+  is a single trivial policy (`require-contract-id`) used to validate
+  the engine round-trip end-to-end in tests. `scripts/install-kyverno-json.sh`
+  runs `go install github.com/kyverno/kyverno-json/cmd/kj@latest` and
+  prints `kj version`; documented in `adapters/kyverno-json/README.md`.
+  The CI image (`.github/workflows/ci.yml` + `.gitea/workflows/ci.yml`)
+  installs Go + kj when `policy.engine == "kyverno-json"`; the install
+  is cached.
+
+### Category: Contract Policies (feat)
+- **REQ-295:** `adapters/kyverno-json/policies/contract/` holds
+  kyverno-json policies over consumer contract JSON. Four policies
+  mirroring `schemas/contract.schema.json` constraints:
+  `require-id-pattern.json` (`id` matches `^[a-z][a-z0-9-]{2,5}$`),
+  `require-env-in-enum.json` (`environment` in dev/qa/prod/dr),
+  `require-infrastructure-min-1.json` (`infrastructure` has ≥1 entry),
+  `forbid-unknown-fields.json` (only `id`/`name`/`environment`/
+  `infrastructure` allowed). Each policy is a single Kyverno `Policy`
+  resource with one `validate.assert` rule using JMESPath against the
+  payload root. Policies are the declarative equivalent of the
+  jsonschema `required`/`pattern`/`enum` constraints — they let Nova
+  apply its own compliance posture on top of schema validity.
+- **REQ-296:** `core/contract_resolver.py` invokes the
+  `PolicyEngineRegistry.get_engine().evaluate()` with the contract dict
+  and `policies/contract/` **before** resolving (early-fail on contract
+  violations) and emits a `nova.policy.evaluated` metrics event (engine
+  name in the event payload). Failures feed the confidence signal's
+  `policy` input as `fail` PCRs; the resolver does not exit — the
+  confidence signal decides the gate (consistent with the existing
+  `--soft-fail` Checkov pattern).
+
+### Category: Stack-IR Policies (feat)
+- **REQ-297:** `adapters/kyverno-json/policies/stack-ir/` holds policies
+  over the resolved Target Stack IR dict. `require-tagging-standard.json`
+  — every resource carries `nova:owner` + `nova:environment` tags
+  (ports `adapters/terraform/policy/custom_rules/nova_tagging.py` logic
+  into a declarative Kyverno policy over the IR's `resources[]` array;
+  mirrors the v1.8 D-tagging-standard). `forbid-public-ingress.json` —
+  no resource has `public_ingress: true` (the v1.0 demo rule, now
+  declarative). `require-encryption-by-default.json` — every S3 bucket
+  + EBS volume + KMS-aliased resource carries encryption config (ports
+  the v1.8 D-encryption-default rule).
+- **REQ-298:** `core/contract_resolver.py` invokes the engine with the
+  resolved Stack IR and `policies/stack-ir/` **after** resolving. The
+  resulting PCRs are appended to the contract-policy PCRs and fed to the
+  confidence signal. The resolver's existing `tests/test_contract_resolver.py`
+  continues to pass (the policy call is additive — it does not change
+  resolver return values or exceptions).
+- **REQ-299:** `tests/test_stack_ir_policies.py` + fixture
+  `tests/fixtures/stack_ir/` — a passing IR (all tags + encryption) and
+  a failing IR (missing tags, public ingress, plaintext bucket). Each
+  policy is tested in isolation + the full `policies/stack-ir/` dir as a
+  bundle. Tests run the `KyvernoJsonEngine` against real `kj` when
+  `which kj` succeeds, and skip with a `pytest.skip("kj not installed")`
+  when absent (so CI without the binary doesn't fail).
+
+### Category: Plan-JSON Policies + Pipeline Wiring (feat)
+- **REQ-300:** `adapters/kyverno-json/policies/plan-json/` holds policies
+  over `terraform show -json` output. `forbid-plaintext-secrets.json`
+  (ports `CKV_AWS_41/45/46` — no `aws_db_instance.password` /
+  `aws_iam_user.*` plaintext). `forbid-iam-wildcard.json` (ports
+  `CKV_AWS_1/40` — no `Action: "*"` or `Resource: "*"` in IAM policies).
+  `require-kms-reference.json` (ports `CKV_AWS_7/33` — KMS keys referenced
+  by alias, not inline). Each policy uses JMESPath over the plan's
+  `planned_values.root_module.resources[]` array. The Checkov `RULE_MAP`
+  in `checkov_adapter.py` is unchanged — these are declarative mirrors,
+  not replacements.
+- **REQ-301:** `run_platform.sh` Step 5 ("runtime policy scan") gains a
+  parallel kyverno-json pass: after Checkov/Wiz produce raw PCRs, the
+  script runs `kj scan --policy adapters/kyverno-json/policies/plan-json/
+  --payload <tfshow.json> -o json` and pipes through
+  `adapters/kyverno-json/kyverno_json_engine.py` to produce a second PCR
+  list. Both lists are concatenated and fed to the confidence signal's
+  `policy` input. The script emits a `nova.policy.evaluated` event with
+  both engine names. When `which kj` is false, the script logs
+  "kyverno-json not installed; skipping plan-json policies" and proceeds
+  with the Checkov/Wiz list only (no hard failure — the platform
+  functions without kj).
+- **REQ-302:** `tests/test_plan_json_policies.py` + fixture
+  `tests/fixtures/plan_json/` — a passing plan JSON (no secrets, no
+  wildcard, KMS alias) and a failing plan JSON (plaintext password,
+  `Action: "*"`, inline KMS key). Tests the three policies in isolation
+  + as a bundle. `tests/test_run_platform_plan_json_policies.py`
+  asserts `run_platform.sh` has the kyverno-json Step 5 block and that
+  it concatenates PCR lists (pattern from `tests/test_pipeline.py:79-95`
+  — read script text + assert substrings).
+
+### Category: Meta-Policies (feat)
+- **REQ-303:** `adapters/kyverno-json/policies/meta/` holds policies
+  whose **payload** is the merged `list[PolicyCheckResult]` itself.
+  `block-on-any-critical.json` — asserts no PCR in the list has
+  `severity: "critical"` + `result: "fail"`; if any does, the meta-policy
+  emits a `fail` PCR with `ruleId: "KJ_META_BLOCK_CRITICAL"` and
+  severity `critical`. This is the **declarative** source of truth for
+  "critical = block"; the `confidence_signal.py` `PENALTY["critical"]:
+  None` hard-override stays as defense-in-depth (D-118-adjacent
+  decision). `tagging-rules-agree.json` — for every resource in the
+  Stack IR, asserts the Checkov `NOVA_TAG_NAMING` result and the
+  kyverno-json `KJ_REQUIRE_TAGGING_STANDARD` result agree; divergence
+  emits an `error` PCR. `tests/test_meta_policies.py` covers both.
+
+### Category: Regression-Gate Policies (feat, quality improvement from IDEATE)
+- **REQ-304:** `adapters/kyverno-json/policies/regression/` holds
+  policies over the capability-inventory JSON frontmatter
+  (`CAPABILITY_INVENTORY.md` parsed as structured data). Three policies
+  port the imperative checks in `core/regression_verify.py`:
+  `cap-013-adapter-dedup.json` (no duplicate adapter registrations),
+  `cap-023-metrics-collector.json` (every metric in `docs/METRICS.md`
+  has a grounded/derived/deferred status), `cap-024-deck-structure.json`
+  (deck slide structure matches the documented arc). The policies read
+  the parsed capability inventory as payload and emit `pass`/`fail` PCRs
+  per capability. The existing `core/regression_verify.py` is **kept**
+  (it drives the CI gate); the policies are the **declarative mirror**
+  that makes capability regression auditable as a policy artifact, not
+  imperative Python. Future milestones may switch the gate to the
+  policy version.
+- **REQ-305:** `tests/test_regression_policies.py` + fixture
+  `tests/fixtures/capability_inventory.json` — a clean inventory (all
+  caps pass) and a drifted inventory (duplicate adapter, missing metric
+  status, broken deck arc). The regression gate (`pytest` suite)
+  continues to pass 287/287 (or new count); the new policy tests are
+  additive.
+
+### Category: Documentation (docs)
+- **REQ-306:** `adapters/README.md` gains a new row for the
+  `kyverno-json` adapter + a new section "Policy Engine Protocol"
+  documenting the `PolicyEngine` Protocol, the registry, and the
+  swap boundary (how to add an `OpaEngine`). `adapters/kyverno-json/README.md`
+  documents the engine, the install path, the policy directory layout,
+  and the four policy categories (contract/stack-ir/plan-json/meta).
+- **REQ-307:** `.ciagent/ARCHITECTURE.md` gains §12.7 "Policy Engine
+  Registry" with the registry diagram (engine ↔ protocol ↔ registry ↔
+  config.json ↔ confidence signal). `schemas/README.md` notes the
+  `engine: "kyverno"` value is shared by the K8s Kyverno adapter and the
+  kyverno-json engine (distinguished by `ruleId` prefix). `modules/STANDARDS.md`
+  gains a "Policy authoring standard" section for module owners who want
+  to ship per-module kyverno-json policies. `docs/METRICS.md` notes the
+  policy engine is now swappable (Strategic Objective #2 — provable
+  trust via a replaceable substrate, not a vendor lock-in).
+
+### Category: Tests (test)
+- **REQ-308:** `tests/test_policy_engine.py` — protocol conformance
+  (the registry returns an engine implementing all three methods),
+  unknown-engine `KeyError`, `NullEngine` fallback when the `policy`
+  key is absent, `KyvernoJsonEngine.is_configured()` returns false when
+  `which kj` fails (mocked). `tests/test_kyverno_json_engine.py` —
+  `evaluate()` returns valid PCR dicts against
+  `schemas/policy_check_result.schema.json` (validated with
+  `jsonschema`); native-output parsing is defensive (malformed kyverno-json
+  output → `error` PCR, not exception); `is_configured()==false` →
+  `SKIPPED` PCR with `KJ_ENGINE_NOT_CONFIGURED`.
+- **REQ-309:** All new tests use `pytest.skip("kj not installed")` when
+  `which kj` is absent, so the suite passes in environments without the
+  binary (CI matrix: with-kj and without-kj). The full suite
+  (`pytest tests/`) continues to pass at 287/287 baseline + new tests
+  (the new tests skip without kj, so the count grows only when kj is
+  installed). `pyproject.toml` + `requirements-test.txt` unchanged
+  (kyverno-json is a Go binary, not a Python dep).
+
+### Out of Scope (v1.25)
+- **Removing Checkov or Wiz.** Both stay as raw-finding adapters. The
+  unified-orchestrator model layers kyverno-json on top, not in place of.
+- **`OpaEngine` implementation.** The protocol is the swap boundary;
+  the OPA implementation is a future milestone. RESEARCH documents the
+  OPA-equivalent surface so the swap is a known quantity.
+- **Per-module policies.** `modules/<name>/policies/` is documented as
+  the future pattern in `modules/STANDARDS.md` but not populated this
+  milestone (policies live under `adapters/kyverno-json/policies/`
+  for v1.25).
+- **kyverno-json as a long-running service.** v1.25 uses the CLI
+  (`kj scan`); the `kj serve` web-app mode is a future consideration
+  for lower-latency evaluation (RESEARCH notes it).
+- **Replacing the K8s Kyverno adapter.** The K8s adapter
+  (`adapters/kyverno/`) remains documentation-only (D-053 — platform
+  emits Terraform). The kyverno-json engine and the K8s adapter are
+  siblings, not replacements.
+
+### v1.25 Traceability
+
+| REQ | Phase | Status |
+|-----|-------|--------|
+| REQ-291 | P1 | pending |
+| REQ-292 | P1 | pending |
+| REQ-293 | P1 | pending |
+| REQ-294 | P1 | pending |
+| REQ-295 | P2 | pending |
+| REQ-296 | P2 | pending |
+| REQ-297 | P2 | pending |
+| REQ-298 | P2 | pending |
+| REQ-299 | P2 | pending |
+| REQ-300 | P3 | pending |
+| REQ-301 | P3 | pending |
+| REQ-302 | P3 | pending |
+| REQ-303 | P3 | pending |
+| REQ-304 | P4 | pending |
+| REQ-305 | P4 | pending |
+| REQ-306 | P4 | pending |
+| REQ-307 | P4 | pending |
+| REQ-308 | P1 | pending |
+| REQ-309 | P1 | pending |

.ciagent/ROADMAP.md

@@ -2156,3 +2156,93 @@ release). **DONE.**
   milestone). Tag `v1.22.6` (final patch = milestone release). Merge
   `milestone/v1.23-deck-cleanup-python-pptx` → `main`.
 - **Requirements:** REQ-263..275 (13 requirements).
+
+## v1.25 (active, tag line `v1.24.x`): kyverno-json Unified Policy Engine
+
+`kyverno-json` — a Kyverno-ecosystem runtime that applies Kyverno policies
+to **any** JSON/YAML payload — becomes Nova's **primary compliance /
+policy tool**, implemented behind a swappable `PolicyEngine` adapter so
+OPA (or any other engine) can replace it one day. The unified-orchestrator
+model: Checkov and Wiz remain as raw-finding adapters feeding *into*
+kyverno-json meta-policies; the confidence signal is untouched (it already
+consumes `list[PolicyCheckResult]` engine-agnostically). Policies cover
+all four Nova artifacts: consumer contract JSON, resolved Stack IR,
+Terraform plan JSON, and the merged PCR list itself (meta-validation).
+The K8s-only Kyverno adapter stays documentation-only (D-053); the
+kyverno-json engine and the K8s adapter are siblings, not replacements.
+Quality improvement from the IDEATE pass: capability regression checks
+(`core/regression_verify.py` CAP-013/023/024) become declarative
+kyverno-json policies. New `policy-engineer` persona owns the policy
+territory. 19 requirements (REQ-291..309), 6 phases (P0 + P1..P4 + P5
+final). Tags: `v1.24.0` (P0) → `v1.24.5` (P5 = milestone release).
+
+### Phase P1 — engine-core (planned, tag v1.24.1)
+- REQ-291: `core/policy_engine.py` — `PolicyEngine` Protocol +
+  `PolicyEngineRegistry` (selects engine from `config.json.policy.engine`).
+- REQ-292: `config.json` gains `policy` object
+  (`engine: "kyverno-json"`, `policy_root`).
+- REQ-293: `adapters/kyverno-json/kyverno_json_engine.py` —
+  `KyvernoJsonEngine` (shells to `kj scan`; translates native output →
+  PCR; `is_configured()` guards on `which kj`).
+- REQ-294: `adapters/kyverno-json/__init__.py` + `_smoke.json` policy +
+  `scripts/install-kyverno-json.sh` + CI image install.
+- REQ-308: `tests/test_policy_engine.py` — protocol conformance,
+  registry, NullEngine fallback.
+- REQ-309: `tests/test_kyverno_json_engine.py` — PCR schema validity,
+  defensive parsing, `pytest.skip` when kj absent.
+
+### Phase P2 — contract + stack-IR policies (planned, tag v1.24.2)
+- REQ-295: `adapters/kyverno-json/policies/contract/` — 4 policies over
+  consumer contract JSON (id-pattern, env-enum, infra-min-1,
+  forbid-unknown-fields).
+- REQ-296: `core/contract_resolver.py` invokes the engine pre-resolve
+  (contract policies) — early-fail, confidence signal decides the gate.
+- REQ-297: `adapters/kyverno-json/policies/stack-ir/` — 3 policies over
+  resolved Stack IR (tagging-standard, public-ingress, encryption-by-
+  default — ports of v1.0/v1.8 imperative rules).
+- REQ-298: `core/contract_resolver.py` invokes the engine post-resolve
+  (stack-IR policies); additive — existing tests pass.
+- REQ-299: `tests/test_stack_ir_policies.py` + fixtures (passing + failing
+  IR; skip when kj absent).
+
+### Phase P3 — plan-JSON policies + meta-orchestration + pipeline wiring (planned, tag v1.24.3)
+- REQ-300: `adapters/kyverno-json/policies/plan-json/` — 3 policies over
+  `terraform show -json` (plaintext-secrets, iam-wildcard, kms-reference
+  — ports of `checkov_adapter.py:RULE_MAP`).
+- REQ-301: `run_platform.sh` Step 5 gains a parallel kyverno-json pass;
+  both PCR lists (checkov/wiz + kj) concatenate into the confidence
+  signal's `policy` input; skips gracefully when `which kj` is false.
+- REQ-302: `tests/test_plan_json_policies.py` + fixtures;
+  `tests/test_run_platform_plan_json_policies.py` (script-substring
+  assertion).
+- REQ-303: `adapters/kyverno-json/policies/meta/` —
+  `block-on-any-critical.json` (declarative critical-block; the
+  `confidence_signal.py` hard-override stays as defense-in-depth) +
+  `tagging-rules-agree.json` (asserts Checkov + kj agree on tagging).
+  `tests/test_meta_policies.py`.
+
+### Phase P4 — regression-gate policies + docs (planned, tag v1.24.4)
+- REQ-304: `adapters/kyverno-json/policies/regression/` — 3 policies over
+  capability-inventory JSON (CAP-013/023/024) — declarative mirrors of
+  `core/regression_verify.py` checks.
+- REQ-305: `tests/test_regression_policies.py` + fixtures (clean +
+  drifted inventory); regression gate still 287/287 baseline.
+- REQ-306: `adapters/README.md` (new adapter row + PolicyEngine Protocol
+  section) + `adapters/kyverno-json/README.md`.
+- REQ-307: `.ciagent/ARCHITECTURE.md` §12.7 (Policy Engine Registry) +
+  `schemas/README.md` + `modules/STANDARDS.md` (policy-authoring
+  standard) + `docs/METRICS.md` (swappable engine narrative).
+
+### Phase P5 — final review + audit + milestone ship (Final Phase, tag v1.24.5)
+- Multi-persona code review across P1..P4 (lead-developer, backend-
+  engineer, data-engineer, policy-engineer). Auto-fix P0; flag P1+.
+- Audit: reconstruction test (git log ↔ `.ciagent/`), branch hygiene,
+  commit discipline.
+- Milestone ship: merge `phase/05-final-review-ship` →
+  `milestone/v1.25-kyverno-json` → `main`; tag `v1.24.5` (= the v1.25
+  release per prev-minor tagging rule); create Gitea release with full
+  milestone summary; delete all milestone branches.
+- Update `REQUIREMENTS.md` (mark REQ-291..309 complete), `ROADMAP.md`
+  (mark v1.25 complete), `NORTH_STAR.md` (note Strategic Objective #2 —
+  provable trust via a replaceable policy-engine substrate).
+- **Requirements:** REQ-291..309 (19 requirements).

.ciagent/config.json

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   ],
   "active_project": "acdl",
   "active_projects": ["acdl"],
-  "active_milestone": "v1.24",
+  "active_milestone": "v1.25",
   "autonomy": {
     "level": "full",
     "escalation_hooks": ["deploy", "delete_data", "merge_to_main"],